BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
EDISON — The Edison Post 435 Senior American Legion team is off to a 6-0 start this summer, thanks in large part to its ability to capitalize on the opposition’s miscues.
"We’ve been scoring a lot of runs on few hits this whole season," Edison Post 435 head coach Chris Banos said. "We’ve been able to manufacture runs and although we are starting to hit the ball harder, we are not where I’d like us to be, but we are getting there."
If the team starts hitting the way Banos knows they are capable of doing, the other leagues better take cover. Last week the Father and Son team outscored its opponents 39-3.
The team started the week with an 8-1 victory over South Plainfield. Joe Augustine pitched a two-hit complete game while striking out six and allowing just one unearned run.
"Joe throws hard and he throws strikes," Banos said. "He simply overpowered them."
Augustine was helped by Keith Lorfing’s three-run homer in the fourth inning. Lorfing finished the game 1-for-2 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Kevin Dalton also went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
On Tuesday, South Amboy would become the first of two teams to go down 10-0 to the Edison ball club. Ryan Klouser went the distance in the five inning game, scattering two hits and a walk.
"Ryan threw all strikes and he got them to put the ball in play," Banos said. "He got a lot of groundballs and we made the plays."
Billy Alec’s 2-for-2 performance at the plate with five RBIs was just the start of an amazing week in which he posted another multi-hit game and tossed a one-hitter.
"Billy had a couple of really nice at bats in the South Amboy game," Banos said. "His double with the bases loaded in the first inning set the tone for the remainder of the game. He also drove in a run on a sac fly that he crushed, but the outfielder chased it down."
Mike Manfre also went 2-for-2 against South Amboy with a run scored and one RBI, and Derek Gianakas scored twice.
Alec’s second game with two hits came at the hands of an undermanned Franklin team. Franklin fell 11-2 as Edison completed the season sweep behind six solid innings from Dalton. Dalton finished with nine strikeouts, one walk, and improved his record to 2-0. Alec scored twice and drove in another.
Lorfing and Manfre continued to stroke the ball as both finished the game 2-for-4. Lorfing had two RBIs, three runs scored and a home run while Manfre scored once and smacked a triple.
"Kevin pitched a solid game," Banos said. "He was throwing hard all game and even though he gave up some hits, he worked out of jams effectively."
Alec’s one hitter ended the week and came at the hands of Clara Barton. The Father and Son team won the shortened game 10-0.
"Billy actually didn’t have his best stuff," Banos said. "He was effective in getting them to put the ball in play, but he wasn’t the Billy Alec we are used to."
Despite the run production, Edison recorded just five hits in the win.
"We took advantage of 10 free passes," Banos said. "We were walked nine times and hit by a pitch once, and that was how we got our runs."
The team takes on South River today at 5:45 p.m. at South River High School and New Brunswick at home on Thursday.